Hall of Fame running back, Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris, left, and fellow running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua unveil a marker commemorating the 40th anniversary of Harris' "Immaculate Reception" at the sight of the catch on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. It is the 40th anniversary of the play in which Harris caught a deflected Terry Bradshaw pass intended for Fuqua, and returned it 42 yards for a game winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Photo: Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press

Hall of Fame running back, Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris,...

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DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Asante Samuel #22 of the Atlanta Falcons reacts after a fourth quarter interception next to Thomas DeCoud #28 while playing the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 22, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. Atlanta won the game 31-18. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Asante Samuel #22 of the Atlanta...

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DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons gets ready to throw a first quarter pass while playing the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 22, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons...

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DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Mikel Leshoure #25 of the Detroit Lions tries to get around the tackle of Sean Weatherspoon #56 of the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field on December 22, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. Atlanta won the game 31-18. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Mikel Leshoure #25 of the Detroit Lions...

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DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 22: Asante Samuel #22 of the Atlanta Falcons interceps Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions as Calvin Johnson #81 makes the stop during the fourth quarter at Ford Field on December 22, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. The Falcons defeated the Lions 31-18. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks downfield during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Photo: Rick Osentoski, Associated Press

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks downfield...

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) makes a reception during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Photo: Rick Osentoski, Associated Press

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) makes a reception...

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Atlanta Falcons defensive back Dominique Franks (29) is stopped by Detroit Lions free safety John Wendling (29) and linebacker Travis Lewis (50) during the first quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Photo: Rick Osentoski, Associated Press

Atlanta Falcons defensive back Dominique Franks (29) is stopped by...

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Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell (35) runs while defended by Atlanta Falcons strong safety Chris Hope (24) during the first quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Matt Ryan got what he wanted, helping the Atlanta Falcons win a game they needed to earn home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

Calvin Johnson had to settle for having a record-breaking night in yet another Detroit loss.

Ryan matched a career high with four touchdown passes, two to Roddy White, and Atlanta led from start to finish in a 31-18 victory over the host Lions on Saturday night.

Johnson broke Jerry Rice's NFL single-season record of 1,848 receiving yards. Johnson also became the only player with 100 yards receiving in eight straight games and the first with 10 receptions in four games in a row in league history. He had 11 receptions for 225 yards, giving him 1,892 this season.

"When Matt (Stafford) and I are on the field together, some special things can happen," Johnson said. "We said before the game that we wanted to try to get it tonight."

The Falcons (13-2) pulled away with Ryan's fourth TD pass to wide-open tight end Michael Palmer in the fourth quarter and Matt Bryant's 20-yard field goal with 3:05 left, which gave them a 15-point lead.

Ryan was 25-of-32 for 279 yards without a turnover.

Detroit (4-11) dropped its seventh straight game.

The Falcons hope playing at home, potentially throughout the conference playoffs, helps them more than it did after the 2010 and 1980 seasons. The Falcons failed to win a game in either postseason, getting routed by Green Bay two years ago and blowing a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead to Dallas three decades ago.

Atlanta advanced to its only Super Bowl with a win at Minnesota after winning a franchise-record 14 games during the 1998 season.

The Falcons won't have much incentive to match that mark next week at home against Tampa Bay, when they'll have nothing to gain and something to lose if a key player or more gets hurt.

The Lions, meanwhile, have been relegated to playing for pride this month, and that hasn't been going very well.

Detroit, which has the longest active losing streak in the league, hasn't had this long of a skid since it had one lasting an entire season when the franchise became the league's first to go 0-16, in 2008.

The Falcons led 21-3 at halftime before the Lions pulled within five points early in the fourth quarter.

Ryan dashed Detroit's comeback hopes.

Facing intense pressure, he converted a third down in Atlanta territory with a pass to White, picked on rookie cornerback Jonte Green by throwing to Julio Jones to pick up more first downs and found Tony Gonzalez open to convert another third down to set up his fourth TD pass.

Stafford finished 37-of-56 for 443 yards without a TD and with one interception.

Tebow to Jacksonville? Tim Tebow probably will end up in his hometown of Jacksonville in 2013, according to an ESPN report. Citing league sources, senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen wrote that it's a "virtual certainty" Tebow will land with the Jaguars - the only other team that expressed interest in him before Denver traded him to the Jets. League sources, according to ESPN, say the Jets will "honor Tebow's forthcoming request to be released."